


Café Crow

by thekkaebinouryehet



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Baristas, Fluff, How do tags even work, Humour, M/M, Romance, because i have been deprived of coffee shop AUs, coffeeshop!au, haikyuu barista boys are hot, yamaguchi is done with everybody
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-07 02:24:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3157655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekkaebinouryehet/pseuds/thekkaebinouryehet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>CoffeeShop!AU in which Hinata doesn’t like bitter coffee, Kageyama brews bitter coffee, Suga and Daichi are like an old married barista couple, Tsukishima is an asshole and Yamaguchi is just done with everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Because coffeeshop!AU is lovely and I have not read even one Barista Haikyuu boys fic so this is my contribution to the fandom.

Hinata has already lost count on how many coffees he's ordered from _Café Crow_ , but if he got a dollar for every coffee he’d bought from the simple but cosy café, he’s sure that he would be a happy young man at least a thousand dollars richer in that year alone. And the year hasn't even ended yet.

University is tough, and he rarely has time to do anything that isn't finishing essays due the next day (thanks to his time management skills which are nothing short of abysmal). He isn't a slacker, no. In fact, he is anything but.

He's just a bit slow when it came to tasks that actually require the use of his brain.

He usually relies on instinct, and that's a major factor in why he was pretty decent at volleyball back in high school he thinks. He's more of a do-it-now-think-about-it-later person rather than a think-before-you-do person, but that sort of attitude doesn't really work in University.

If there is anything that really keeps Hinata going, he would have to say it's the coffee. Suga's caramel mocha is to die for and especially effective in waking Hinata up in the morning with it's perfect balance of sweet and bitter. Daichi's latte, on the other hand, is a perfect blend of milk and a bit of espresso in _just_ the right ratio, just as Hinata likes it for when he's up pulling an all-nighter for a paper due in a few hours.

Alright, he does admit that he isn't quite a big fan of coffee like espresso and black that's bitter, especially ones frightfully so. The taste on his tongue is horrid, and he would honestly much rather shove three dozen marshmallows in his face.

"Welcome back, Hinata!" greets the familiar voice of the angelic beauty that is Sugawara Koushi from the counter. Hinata can't fight the urge to yawn as he moves himself to his usual couch at the corner of the café. As he plops down on the couch exhaustedly, Suga regards him knowingly. "Another all-nighter?"

Hinata nods, eyes closed and body sprawled carelessly along the couch. "I don't even know why I bother with archaeology, to be honest. The stuff confuses the heck outta me." He lets his head hang backwards, his face facing the ceiling. "Then again, it _is_ pretty interesting."

Suga makes a noise of acknowledgement. "Ah, well. I'm guessing Daichi helped you last night? With the latte and all?"

"Mhmm."

"Alright. The usual? Maybe I'll add a little more bitterness, your eye bags are looking exceptionally beautiful today," says Suga as he moves to make Hinata's caramel mocha behind the counter. There aren't any other customers beside Hinata at such an ungodly hour in the morning except another guy who's scribbling at the speed of light with papers scattered all over his table. Suga supposes he doesn't have to rush in making Hinata's coffee, it's not like there are any other customers to attend to anyway. Besides, Hinata looks like he needs a really good cup of coffee to raise his spirit.

"Okay, but not too much. You know what I'm like with coffee that's too bitter, Suga."

"Yes, yes."

Suga is in the middle of adding the steamed milk when Hinata speaks again. "Hey, Suga. How have you and Daichi been, you know, since you two are dating?"

Suga has to grab onto the counter to keep himself from falling and pouring the searing hot liquid onto himself. "W-what are you saying? Daichi and I aren't d-dating!"

Hinata pulls his head up to look at Suga, genuinely puzzled. "Weren't you? Whenever you guys have the same shift, you two always remind me of my grandparents… Like you're trying to be subtly lovey-dovey but it never really works because you're way too obvious."

Suga sighs as he returns to making the orange-haired boy's coffee. "What is it with everyone thinking that?" he mumbles to himself, aware of the slight pink tint on his cheeks. After finishing the final touches on Hinata's coffee (and somehow successfully supressing the blush that was threatening to paint his pale cheeks), he sits down in front of Hinata, placing the hot drink on the table in front of him.

"You know you need to be more organised and manage your time better. Staying up so late and drinking so much coffee isn't healthy, you know?" he gives the younger boy a concerned look. Hinata had been coming to their shop for a while and Suga would be lying if he said he hadn't learned to be fond of the short boy.

Hinata gives an indignant huff in response, "I know, I know. It's not like I don't _want_ to manage my time better, it's just always like this—I start it on the day I get it, and obviously I don't get to finish it right?" Suga nods. "Well I don't finish it, and somehow the whole thing just leaves my mind until like, four days before it's due. I just can't seem to give a bird's ass about it in that section between getting it and handing it in!" he exclaims, roughly taking the coffee cup off the table to have a frustrated sip.

Suga gives the boy a sympathetic smile, stands up to ruffle the soft orange hair and goes back behind the counter. "Alright, but make sure to take care of yourself okay?"

"Thanks, Suga."

He sips his coffee every now and then, opting to stare out to the road through polished glass windows. People of all walks of life walk past; children, youth, adults alike, all covered in thick layers of clothing since it's Christmas season and the chilly weather is beginning to set in on the town. A family of four walks past the shop outside, the youngest looking girl on the father's shoulders and the older boy holding his mother's hand.  He suddenly finds himself in a daze, and the face of the girl blurs into that of his sister, the boy's into that of a younger him. The parents' faces blur into nothing, never having known them and both Natsu and him being raised by their grandparents out in the country.

The family soon leaves Hinata's sight, and he catches himself before he lets his neck _crane_ to continue staring at them. Which would have been creepy _. Extremely_ creepy. 

The door to the café swings open to let the chilly air in and Hinata shudders, pulling his soft black scarf up even further to cover his mouth. He swivels his head to give a pointed look at the culprit who had just blasted him with a gust worthy of the next ice age. What meets his eyes is the figure of a boy much taller than him (then again, most people _are_ taller than him—so no surprise there) with dark hair, slanted eyes and a mouth that is set in a frown. Hinata finds himself thinking about how the male would look pretty attractive if both his face and aura weren’t so domineering. Hinata has half a mind to think that he’s staring a bit too long, but doesn’t stop anyway. There’s something that fascinates him about the guy who had just walked in, though he doesn’t know what.

Mister Grumpy—what Hinata decides to call the male—looks around the café and stops when he spots Suga behind the counter who gives him a welcoming smile, as dazzling as ever. He pulls out a few papers from his backpack, walks to Suga and hands him the papers. Hinata isn’t eavesdropping or anything, he can just _hear_ what they’re saying without trying, so it doesn’t really count as eavesdropping.

“Hello, I’m Tobio Kageyama. I was the one who enquired for the part-time job? Daichi told me to come today and talk to someone with silvery hair called Koushi. I’m guessing that’s you?” says Mister Grumpy and Hinata almost laughs out loud because his voice suits his expression so perfectly it was actually giggle worthy.

“Ah! You’re the one Daichi talked about last night. Alright, come around the counter. I’ll need to ask you some questions.” Mister Grumpy—who is now apparently adorned with another title, Tobio—nods and makes his way around the counter to where Suga is, but not before catching Hinata’s eye as he turns the corner. Mister Gru— _Tobio_ pauses and regards Hinata with indifference and then abrupt disgust.

_Rude._

Tobio visibly sighs, and suddenly gestures around his mouth. Hinata just looks back at him dumbly, now wondering if the guy is talking to him in sign language, which would be a problem since he knew squat about it. When he doesn’t make a move in understanding Tobio sighs again, this time exasperatedly. He gestures to his mouth again and then to Hinata, more aggressively than before.

Hinata decides that Tobio isn’t communicating in sign language and copies what he is doing, bringing his fingers up to the outside his mouth. Only then does he get the point, as his fingers are met with something wet which he then concludes to be the froth from the coffee.

“Jesus!” he exclaims as he quickly grabs a serviette from another table to wipe his mouth dry. In midst of all the froth-induced chaos, he looks back up to Tobio just in time to see him roll his eyes and turn the corner out of sight.

Well that was embarrassing.

And with that, he hurriedly grabs his belongings and almost stumbles to the exit. He’s caused enough commotion today—even the previously scribbling-at-the-speed-of-light guy is staring.

\---

Half an hour later, Hinata’s just handed in the paper he was working on the night before and is sitting inside the lecture room trying to listen to the professor drone on about lithic technology, Mister Grumpy forgotten. He tries to focus, tries so hard that he finds himself not even listening to the old man any more. He ends up not even bothering, knowing that he won’t be able to pay proper attention today since he’s still feeling the effects of the all-nighter he pulled last night despite Suga’s best efforts to wake him up. He spaces out but makes sure his eyes stay open just so he looks like he’s listening.

He’s jolted out of his daze by Tsukishima when the tall blonde gives him a rather harsh slap at his back. “Oi. Snap out of it you midget,” his gruff voice grumbled.

“Did you have to slap that hard?” Hinata pouts as he rubs his recently assaulted back gingerly. “And goddamn it, Tsukishima. When will you stop calling me a midget?”

Tsukishima gives him a smug smirk. “I’ll stop the day you get up to my nose,” he says. “Now pack your shit up quickly so we can get out of here. We still need to pick up Yamaguchi from his class.” And Hinata obliges begrudgingly, shoves his unused stationery back into his bag and shrugs his coat and scarf back on. They follow the thinning stream of young adults filing out of the room, towards the outside world.

When they pick Yamaguchi up from his med class, they find him already waiting and laughing at what’s probably something on his phone. Tsukishima picks up his pace, and is by the dark haired boy’s side in a second. Hinata gets to them just in time to see Tsukishima invade Yamaguchi’s space and begin to interrogate the poor guy.

“Who the hell are you texting?”

“I’m not texting anyone, Tsukki.”

“Then what were you laughing at?”

“There’s much more to laugh at than someone’s text message. Stop being so paranoid.”

“That wasn’t what I was asking, you didn’t answer my question.”

Yamaguchi sighs in exasperation, and really, Hinata doesn’t blame him. “Tsukki. I was laughing at a vine.” He holds up his phone right up to Tsukishima’s nose to prove his point. “It is literally just a vine of a potato attached to a spinning ceiling fan, so just shut up and kiss me already, you dumbass,” he says then pulls Tsukishima by the collar into a kiss, which the taller happily returns.

No matter how many times Hinata sees Yamaguchi be ballsy to Tsukishima, he never ceases to marvel at the fact that they’re the same people from high school. He remembers a time when Yamaguchi was an absolute pushover to Tsukishima and any of his wants or needs, when he was shy and generally soft spoken. A time when Tsukishima was an absolute dick (though he still kind of is) to everyone, and only a _bit_ less to Yamaguchi. He muses at the fact that present Yamaguchi is no pushover to Tsukishima anymore. If anything, ever since they started dating, their roles have swapped. Now, Tsukishima is the overly jealous and protective boyfriend who does whatever Yamaguchi wants to keep him happy. Yamaguchi, on the other hand, is loving the treatment and is taking advantage of it, getting Tsukishima to pamper him in ways that he didn’t back in high school while still retaining his kindness and general pleasantness.

But really, Hinata doesn’t need to see this much PDA so early especially in a morning like this one.

“Oh my God is that tongue I see please _stop_ I literally do _not_ need to see this right now,” Hinata whines, frantically bringing his hands up to shield his eyes from the rather uncomfortably bold display of affection right in front of him.

The two break away from each other, much to Hinata’s relief and Yamaguchi gives him an apologetic look. “Sorry about that, Hinata.” Then noticing the red-head’s drained expression, he moves towards Hinata and takes off a glove to press the back of his hand against his friend’s forehead. “Are you alright? You look half dead and your temperature’s a bit hot. Do you have any more classes today? You should go rest a bit at home.”

Hinata lets out a tired chuckle. “Yeah, well I pulled another all-nighter and I’m only running on half a cup of coffee and the energy of the universe.” He presses his own hand against his forehead, noting the heat. “I’ll be fine, nothing a cup of coffee won’t fix.”

“Don’t you think you’re drinking too much coffee, Hinata? You’re consuming too much caffeine for your own good,” says Yamaguchi as they start walking to exit the building.

Tsukishima snorts, snaking his hand around boyfriend’s back to rest on his waist. “It ain’t helping your height either, you’re short enough as it is.” The comment is shortly followed by a harsh nudge from Yamaguchi and a venomous glare from Hinata.

“ _Rude._ ”

“ _Tsukki.”_

“Well I’m not lying, so.”

Hinata huffs in response. “You’re lucky I’m really not in the mood for doing _anything_ right now or else I would be throttling your stupid giraffe neck.”

“Not like you can reach anyway, midget.”

“ _Giraffe neck._ ”

“ _Midget._ ”

“Guys, stop it please.”

“ _Four eyes._ ”

“ _Munchkin._ ”

Yamaguchi sighs, “I’m friends with a bunch of five year olds.”


	2. Knight in Shining Armour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi thinks Hinata's been kidnapped on his way home. Tsukishima doesn't think anyone would want to kidnap an annoying midget like Hinata.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I am utterly moved by the response this fic has gotten--I hadn't expected more than 15 kudos, to be honest. And for that I love all of you so much! Thank you, thank you!
> 
> Secondly, I have decided that this fic will be more than two chapters! (mostly because I didn't think I could ft everything in two, haha) 
> 
> Lastly, I am so sorry for the immensely late update! It's just that school's started again and from now on, the things we do start to actually matter for real and I've just been caught up all the assignments and things. It's not edited, so shout out to me if there are any glaring errors and I will correct them. Hope you enjoy, though!

Yamaguchi somehow convinces Hinata to go back to his apartment and rest ( _“who’s the one studying med, Hinata?"_ ), which is fine, he supposes, because he doesn’t actually have any more classes for the day. His temperature seems to have gone up from when Yamaguchi checked his forehead before and he  _is_ feeling less than perfect. He’s lying on his bed wrapped up in at least three layers of clothing  _and_ his comforter but he still feels like satanic ice bunnies are clinging onto his skin and nibbling off all of his natural insulation (his fat). He tried turning on the heater but the stupid thing decided it was a great time to have a heart attack and die on him. He’s sweating like the Niagara Falls but he feels impossibly cold at the same time, it’s confusing and it feels weird and he just _doesn’t like it._

It’s the first time in a while that he’s been this sick, the last time was probably about a bit more than a year ago and back then he had his little sister to take care of him. It’s moments like these that Hinata always finds himself thinking about how fast Natsu is growing up, how she seems more mature than Hinata himself at times, despite her young age. It’s moments like these that Hinata suddenly comes into terms with the fact that he’s  _lonely_ —that he misses the times when his sister would yell at him to  _‘shut up and go to sleep!’_ when he would be a little too loud and fidgety in his bed the night before a volleyball match against a formidable school or much dreaded half yearlies; the times when his sister would nag and fuss over him like the mother they never had. He even misses his grandparents’ doting, those awful sweaters filled with love his grandmother would knit for him even during the scalding heat of summer and the volleyball and card game sessions with his still ridiculously fit grandfather.

Hinata misses his family  _a lot._

He shuffles onto his side and pulls the covers up over his head, clutching his phone to his chest.  _Should I call them?_ He wonders, switching his phone on and squinting because of the brightness setting. He stares at it aimlessly for a bit, weighing his options. Natsu would still be at school, and he doesn’t want to interrupt or get her into trouble so that’s out of the question. Knowing his grandmother, she would be taking her daily nap right about now and he doesn't want to interrupt that either. His grandfather is probably doing some tai chi with the other old people in the park and he doesn’t usually bring his phone (not that he uses it much for calling and texting anyway, it’s more for things like chess and checkers).  

Oh, the woes of the technology-and-old-people combo.

He gives up on trying to call his family and instead contemplates calling his friends. He doesn't even care who anymore, he's lonely and he's sick and he just wants to talk to someone. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima are probably having classes and Suga's still on his shift. It's not like he can talk to Daichi either, since he doesn't have his phone number (he makes a mental note to ask for his number the next time they see each other).

He groans and switches his phone off, opting instead to just get some needed sleep. He’ll just have to sleep his cold off, he supposes, and does exactly that.

\---

When he wakes up he doesn’t feel like there are bricks on his eyelids but his fever hasn’t gone down in the slightest and he feels no less shitty than before. He makes a noise of utter disgust when he moves to get up and out of his bed because the back of his three shirts had soaked through in his sleep from all the sweating he’s been doing and they’re  _sticking onto his skin_ which just feels dreadful and gross. He stills, contemplates his next course of action and then bolts right up to strip as fast as he can. Well, as fast as a sick Hinata who can’t even  _stay_ on the bed can, anyway.  

He rubs his sore back and glares at the bed like it’s committed a mortal sin, like it wasn’t his fault that he fell off the damn thing. The cold air hits him like a tidal wave and he realises he’s half-naked in his heater-less room left to fend for his annoyingly sick self. He gives an embarrassingly loud sneeze and shivers violently as he goes to his wardrobe to grab something to wear.

He just  _cannot_ get a break today. Here's to hoping tomorrow would be better because so far his day has been nothing short of terrible.

Hinata glances at his wall clock, surprised to find that he’d slept for about six hours. He checks his phone as well and sees that Yamaguchi had made five missed calls while Tsukishima made two. He walks out of the room towards the kitchen to get some water and opens his unread messages.

**Received from Yamaguchi – 12:50pm**   
_Hey, just finished class adn wanted to check if ur alright. Ur probably sleeping right? Call me once ur awake ok?_

**Received from Yamaguchi – 3:23pm**   
_Omg Hinata are u deda?? U don’t usually sleep this long in the day?? HINATAA_

**Received from Yamaguchi – 3:23pm**   
_dead**_

**Received from The Spawn of Satan – 3:31pm**   
_Oi. Wake the fuck up already, you midget. Yamaguchi is freaking out so pick up your damn phone and give him a call._

**Received from The Spawn of Satan – 3:32pm**   
_He’s saying you might have been kidnapped on your way home. Who the hell would want to kidnap an annoying midget like you?_

**Received from The Spawn of Satan – 3:32pm**   
_He’s going crazy PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE._

**Received from The Spawn of Satan – 3:51pm**   
_You know what? Fuck you. We’re going to your place and you can’t say shit about it._

Wait  _what_. Hinata gawks at his phone for a few moments and looks at the clock again. The message was sent about fifteen minutes ago, and given that Hinata’s apartment isn’t that far from the University, they’re probably already somewhere in the building.

He doesn't want to meet his friends smelling like sweat and looking like he's just been through a hurricane. He could pretend he isn't at home. He can just  _really_  slowly and quietly turn off all the lights, God knows Tsukishima has the hearing ability of a damn hawk. One time, the three of them were looking for Yamaguchi's phone in the theme park and somehow Tsukishima managed to  _hear_  the phone ringing amidst all the noise and racket in the place. He sets to work and starts tip-toeing his way out of the kitchen to switch off his living room lights. His bad luck day, however, strikes again, and a loud knock on the door causes Hinata to give a startled little squeak.

“Hinata. Open up. I know you’re in there, you little shit,” Tsukishima’s gruff voice calls out through the wood and Hinata freezes and tries to not make a sound. He’s hoping Tsukishima missed the noise he’s just made.

“Oh my God, Tsukki! I  _told_  you he got kidnapped! Call the police, go, go, go!” comes Yamaguchi’s muffled voice and Hinata almost laughs.

“Baby, he hasn’t been kidnapped. I can hear him breathing, for Christ’s sake.”

Hinata’s never been the best at stealth. Especially with Tsukishima around.

“Alright, alright. I’m coming!” Hinata grumbles and swings the door open to reveal a very pissed Tsukishima and a Yamaguchi on the verge of tears. Hinata watches in amusement as the freckled boy's expression changes from worriedly upset baby to delightedly relieved baby in a matter of moments. Yamaguchi cries out a strained " _Hinata! I thought you were dead!_ " and throws himself onto the shorter to glomp him. Hinata sees Tsukishima’s whole face twitch and decides it’s probably a good idea to gently get snot faced Yamaguchi off of him before his boyfriend skins him alive with a blunt plastic spoon.

Hinata chuckles nervously and tries to gently pry off Yamaguchi, all the while looking at Tsukishima in slight terror because he looks like he’s ready to rip Hinata’s balls off. “It’s alright, I’m okay. I’m not dead, see?” He gestures to all of himself to prove that he  _is_ , in fact, alive, albeit not well. Yamaguchi wipes the snot and tears from his face and sighs in relief.

Hinata invites them in and sluggishly goes to the fridge to get his friends something to eat, only to discover that he has absolutely nothing in it save for a sad jug of water that’s only half full and a carton of milk that’s probably already long expired. “Shit.”

Tsukishima suddenly materialises behind Hinata, his face appearing between the crook of Hinata’s neck and shoulder and he lets out a shriek that he will never admit to ever having done. “You’ve got a vagina instead of a dick, I swear.” Tsukishima shoots Hinata a scowl, “You got nothing in your fridge. Dude,  _what do you even eat_?”

Hinata shrugs and grabs the jug of water, kicking the door of the fridge closed lightly with his foot. “I usually just get takeout. I was gonna call for some Thai food tonight. I haven’t ordered yet.” He fills three glasses and brings one over to Yamaguchi who’s sitting on the sofa. “You guys staying for dinner? I’ll just go make a call—“

“I am  _not_ letting you eat stupid takeout food when you look and smell and probably feel like shit. You’re sick and we brought ingredients because we’re good friends and we thought that you  _would_  probably get takeout, so shut up and sit your ass down next to Yamaguchi so I can cook some actually decent food for the three of us tonight.” Tsukishima scowls and Hinata pokes his tongue out stubbornly before sitting down and complying.

Hinata's turned on the TV and already a few minutes into a re-run of The Mentalist when he and Yamaguchi hear Tsukishima call out from the kitchen.

"Oi! Where's your apron?"

Hinata scrunches his nose. An apron?  _Really_? "Don't have one except my sister's from when she comes over. I don't really cook," he answers, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Where?"

"Uh, under the sink I think? What do you need it for?"

"What else do you use an apron for, you moron."

"Dude, the apron's like, pink and frilly. You know, one of those with excessive lace and polka dots. It’s hideous."

Silence answers Hinata. Curious, he and Yamaguchi peer at the kitchen and Hinata barely manages to catch the laugh threatening to bubble up his throat. Tsukishima is standing in front of the sink holding up the said apron in front of him, his face contorted into an expression that’s a mix of an incredulous ‘what the fuck is this’ and a pained ‘but I must stay clean’. Both boys manage to stifle their laughter—barely—as they watch Tsukishima contemplate his life choices and whether or not it’s more important to stay clean or save his pride, his gold eyes squinting from behind slightly skewed glasses.

Then the blond takes a deep breath and moves to slowly wrap the apron—hideously pink and frilly and polka dotted that it is—around himself.

Hinata and Yamaguchi promptly break out into a chorus of laughter.

Tsukishima snaps his head to glare at the two culprits laughing like cows at his misery with as much venom as he can manage. Hinata and Yamaguchi meet his icy expression and feel something akin to prey being hunted by a predator but then see the apron and proceed to laugh even harder.

“You look  _ridiculous_!” Hinata manages to gurgle out, slapping the wall with one hand and clutching his stomach with the other because it’s starting to hurt and the apron looks ridiculous only just hugging his large frame. The band around his waist barely reaches, tied into a cute little knot at the back and the apron itself is too short, stopping just after his crotch. He looks like a father who’s just been forced by his little daughter to play Barbie Café with her.

Yamaguchi snorts between his guffaws. “You remind me of cooking mama!” Tsukishima makes a face of utter embarrassment and betrayal while Hinata just laughs even harder, falling off the couch and rolling around the carpeted floor.

“You both’re gonna be more dead than this chicken I’m chopping and still deciding to cook for you. Because I’m a  _great_ friend. Unlike you assholes.” Tsukishima growls, punctuating each sentence with a loud chop of the butcher knife he’s got in his hand. “And  _you._ Yamaguchi.” He points at the dark haired boy howling with laughter using the knife. “You better  _prepare_  yourself when we get home, you traitor.”

Yamaguchi’s eyes widen to the size of saucers and he halts his laughter with a squeak, diving down to the carpet to hide behind Hinata who’s still doubled over with tears of mirth sliding along his cheeks. “Wait. You can’t be thinking of  _that_ , right? Not  _that_! Anything but t-that! Have mercy, you m-monster!” he cries out, trembling in fear.

Tsukishima smirks in what Hinata and Yamaguchi can only describe as morbid glee. “That’s right. So you better get your ass ready for tonight. And I do mean  _literally_.”

It clicks in Hinata’s mind and he almost pukes because  _he does not need to know about their sex life right now. Or ever, really_. “Can you like,  _not_?! That’s freaking disgusting! I don’t need to know about your--your...ugh!” His cheeks burn even more, and he’s pretty sure it isn’t because his fever’s gotten worse.

Yamaguchi flushes an even deeper red, and Hinata would have probably laughed if he wasn't in the middle of trying to erase memories of what just happened from his mind. Tsukishima, on the other hand, gives a triumphant huff and continues to cook with nothing but the slight curl of his thin lips to indicate anything at all had just happened. Or is about to happen.

"Hinata.  _Shit._ Pray for my poor butt tonight please."

Hinata gags.

The rest of the night passes by relatively incident free (to which Hinata is grateful for, because any more intimate details on the couple's love life aren't needed, if not unwelcome), and by the time they've finished Tsukishima's surprisingly delicious chicken curry Hinata begins to feel grogginess tug at his consciousness. He's cloaked in a blanket and squashed between his two friends' body heat and the two things coupled with the fact that he's not feeling well makes him feel like there are bricks in his eyelids and elephants on his shoulders.

He sleepily registers the protagonist of the TV show figuring out the crime and the culprit before sleep embraces him, his eyes slowly closing heavily.

\-- 

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi stare at their friend peacefully snoring with the beginnings of drool starting to run down his pale cheeks. The latter smiles gently at the red-head, and he looks up at Tsukishima to see his mouth still set in the usual frown but his eyes glazed over in a mix of fondness and concern for his childhood friend. It’s one of the quirks Yamaguchi’s learnt about his boyfriend; though his face is usually a mask of indifference or annoyance, his eyes are the doorways into his emotions. Years and years of practise has made Yamaguchi a pro in reading Tsukishima, if he can say so himself.

“He’s worked himself too hard this time,” Tsukishima grumbles, carding a hand through his hair and heaving a sigh. Yamaguchi sends him a sympathetic smile, feeling the same way.

“Yeah, he sure has.”

They simply sit there doing nothing for a few moments until Tsukishima suddenly stands up carefully (so he doesn’t wake the sleeping boy up) and loops his strong arms behind Hinata’s neck and around the back of his knees. Tsukishima heaves the boy up gently until he’s carrying him, making sure Hinata is secure in his arms.

“Let’s get this midget back to bed.”

They walk to Hinata’s room and lay him on the bed, tucking him in snug between the sheets until he looks like a caterpillar inside a cocoon. Tsukishima, noting his friend’s still high temperature, goes to the kitchen to wet a towel with some cold water to lay on top of Hinata’s head. Once he’s satisfied, Tsukishima joins Yamaguchi who is standing by the doorway, watching the blond thoughtfully.

“What?”

Yamaguchi smiles and shrugs good-naturedly. “Nothing much. Just, you really care about him don’t you?”

Tsukishima knows Yamaguchi isn’t jealous or anything of the sort, no. He of all people knows that Hinata is just a precious childhood friend to Tsukishima. He looks over at Hinata who, to his relief, looks like he’s sleeping soundly.

“Yeah, I guess so. But not in the way I care about you. Hinata, he...ever since we were kids, he's always shouldered all his emotional baggage by himself. He's the type who'd rather not show or tell other people about his emotions because he thinks it'll be a bother to them,” he pauses, takes a deep breath and continues. “He’s a hardworking idiot who needs to be constantly reminded he has people around him who care and he can _talk_ to and who will, as a matter of fact, _listen_ to him.”                                                                 

Yamaguchi thinks there’s much more to it than just that but decides not to push it and instead nods in understanding and goes up on the tips of his toes to give Tsukishima a small peck on the lips. “So you’re kind of like his knight in shining armour?”

“In a sense, I suppose.” He grasps Yamaguchi’s hands and squeezes it gently. “Come on, let’s go home. I still need to punish a traitor.”

Yamaguchi gulps as he’s pulled along out of the apartment.


	3. So We Meet Again Peasant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It isn't his fault he unceremoniously spat it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT?! I'M NOT DEAD YET?1!!!1??!??!!1!
> 
> So first of all, I am so incredibly sorry for being a lazy piece of shit and not updating in more than a whole year. I've been incredibly busy and I'll probably just get even more so for the rest of the year. I've already got the chapters planned out, and I've also started writing up the next one so expect an update realistically within the next three to four weeks? 
> 
> Secondly, thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and kudos--you are all so lovely it hurts. 
> 
> Well then, without further ado, here's Chapter 3. As always, if there are any errors just holla and I'll try to fix it. Hope you like it!

Hinata wakes up to an utterly fantastic headache, vague dark spots invading his vision. He sits up slowly, eliciting a soft moan whenever he moves too fast and his other muscles complain and shoot dull arrows of pain through his body. He finds that the comforter had been thrown off the bed; most likely by him when he tossed and turned the night before.

He massages the bridge of nose then his temples and sighs, wincing when he tries to roll his shoulders in a feeble attempt to at least ease the stiffness he can feel in several parts of his body. He's still a bit groggy, but he tries to collect his thoughts and himself anyway.

Today is a Tuesday. He glances at the clock hanging on his wall, noting that it's only a few minutes past eleven in the morning.

I don't have classes until later on in the afternoon, so that's a relief. Why am I even hurting all over anyway?

Placing a hand on his forehead, he feels for signs of a possibly still lingering fever. He notes the significantly lowered temperature and mentally thanks Tsukishima and Yamaguchi for taking care of him and bringing him to his bed, since he doesn't remember getting in himself. The fever is pretty much gone, but Hinata's problem now is the incessant painful throbbing of his temples and the way his muscles screech at him to stoppleasedearGod every time he moves a little too vigorously.

Figuring that now is the time as good as any to get out of the bed, Hinata mentally lists the things he needs to do for the day and climbs off gingerly. He needs to put his laundry in the washing machine, take some medicine, text Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, eat some food...

But first, coffee.

After trudging towards the kitchen much in the same manner as he did the day before, Hinata lunges for the cupboard where he keeps his instant coffee, creamer and the sugar that's only ever used for the bitter substance he consumes on a daily basis. But it's like the coffee goddesses have decided to turn on him today, in his time of need, because the glass jar that's supposedly holding his precious is empty.

"Are you kidding me right no-ah, fuck, my brain-where're the coffee goddesses when you need them, damn it."

His stock's run out, too. Plus, his fridge is as bare as the Sahara Desert. It's probably a good time to go shopping, he thinks, and mentally adds that to his list of Things to Do. He settles for water instead since he just really needs something to wet his parched throat.

When he opens the fridge, he sees a container of last night's curry placed in the middle of the fridge and a little green sticky note perched inconspicuously on it. Tsukishima's small scribbly handwriting decorates the page, and Hinata finds himself smiling in gratitude as he reads what's written on it.

Heat this up and eat a proper breakfast for once. There's also still some rice in the cooker. Don't forget to drink some medicine. See you later, moron.

P.S. I put your laundry in the washer for you so just slap it in the dryer in the morning once you wake up and are actually able to do things without hurting yourself like an idiot.

If Natsu is like Hinata's mother, Tsukishima is like his older brother. One of those tsunderes-cold on the outside but soft and mushy and fluffy in the inside.

Alright, maybe not quite all of those three things (he's still kind of a dick), but those are the things that makes Tsukishima Tsukishima. And as much as he makes Hinata want to slap him with a banana (or a brick, but no one needs to know that) sometimes, he really wouldn't change a thing about him.

Hinata smiles inwardly to himself and shakes his head, setting to work to do the things he needs to do before he goes out later in the afternoon.

About half an hour later sees him finished eating Tsukishima's curry, drinking some cold medicine and putting his washed clothes in the dryer. He would buy the groceries later after his classes because he doesn't really want to have to lug the bags around the University.

He's tucked in his favourite black skinnies, a white long sleeved V-neck and his coat from yesterday when he goes out of his apartment and shuts the door behind him. He's sure he's got everything he needs, but why does it feel like there's something missing?

"Oh hey there, Shouyou!" the familiar chipper voice of his next door neighbour greets him. The man (Hinata calls him Mister Takeda, though he insists that he call him 'Ittetsu') pushes the big frames of his glasses up the bridge of his nose and squints at Hinata.

"Hey Mister Takeda. Um, is there something wrong?" he questions, confused as to why his neighbour is looking at him like an art exhibit that's especially hard to understand. "Mist-"

"You know," he starts, "I don't know what the trend is for young kids like you these days, but are you sure you should be walking around outside barefooted during winter?"

Hinata shifts his gaze to his feet and comes to the conclusion that they are, as a matter of fact, devoid of any sort of protection from the unforgiving chill of the weather.

...So that's what was missing.

Heat pools in his cheeks. Marvellous. "I... Thanks!" he exclaims before hastily slotting his apartment keys into the lock, opening the door and then slamming it shut behind him just in time to hear his neighbour mutter a good natured "Ah, youth."

He's been having quite a lot of these kind of embarrassing moments recently, and he isn't quite sure that he appreciates that fact. Shaking his head, he slips on a pair of vans and takes a deep breath before going out of his apartment a second time, this time hopefully without embarrassing himself like an idiot again. Honestly, another and he'll probably either turn permanently red and then overheat and die, explode or in the worst case scenario, live to see another day.

Hinata walks out of the building away from the comfort of warmth and immediately shivers from the bite of the cold. The wind whips past his face as he journeys to Café Crow, and he swears he's never experienced a winter this cold before. At least this year's due snow hasn't fallen yet-that was due around Christmas day. He's already got a plan for when that happens, mostly consisting of staying inside, drinking coffee and hot chocolate and watching Christmas specials on TV. Did he mention staying inside? Yeah. It isn't like he has a special someone to spend Christmas with anyway. His family is too far away in the country and he doesn't have a car yet. Yamaguchi and Tsukishima would want to spend the special day together, and he can't intrude on that.

He would spend Christmas by himself. Alone. That would be a first.

Sighing, he turns at a corner and spots the shop he's made himself familiar with for the past few months. From where he is, he can tell there are already a few patrons inside and also see the tell-tale silver of Koushi's hair through the glass. Good, he really needs a cup of his magical mocha right now.

He swings the cafe door open and greets the silver head who's just finished taking another customer's order. "Yo, Suga."

Suga grins back at Hinata. "Hey! The usual?"

The red-head takes a seat on his usual spot, which is thankfully free. "Yeah, thanks." The heater induced warmth feels nice, seeping under his clothes and making him feel all pleasantly tingly in the inside. That reminds him, he should get a new heater for his own apartment soon. He probably won't last through the winter if this lack-of-heater-in-his-room problem continues. He sighs and settles for taking part in his favourite (though admittedly quite creepy, but he swears he does it with no ill intentions) past-time while he's in the café--people watching. There's just something about watching the way people interact with others, in a way he never really could. To him, the children especially seem like they have nothing to hide, so honest with their feelings and actions. It's almost alien to him. They parade the streets, their smiles warm despite the downright chilly weather.

The sound of a something heavy clunking gently onto a table perks Hinata's attention, and he looks just in time to see the retreating back of a tall young man with dark hair. The physique and the aura is distantly familiar, but he can't quite place it so he turns his attention back down instead to the mug with the inviting smell and steam rolling away from it. He cups the warm mug in his hands silently moaning appreciatively and blowing the steam away. He just stays like that for a while, because the warmth (especially in weather like they're having now) is something that is definitely very much welcome since it's so pleasant and calming. Plus, the coffee smells really nice--something feels, or rather smells, a little bit different from Suga's usual, but he supposes that's a minor thing, probably an experiment of sorts, who knows. It doesn't really matter to him, since he trusts Suga not to put anything too shady in his coffee.

He brings the cup closer to his mouth and takes a sip, ready for the warm bittersweet liquid taste fill his mouth and warm his throat.

It takes him a moment to really register what happens after he sips the coffee because it's unexpected, to say the least. He's used to his coffee a certain way, it's been the same for months now so no one can really blame him, right?

His face registers it before his brain can and his nose crinkles, nostrils flaring and eyes squinting and before he knows it, he's spitting out the offending liquid that was previously inside his mouth.

Bitter! Why is it so bitter?

The after-taste lingers in his mouth and it tastes foul, like he's Tom the cat who's just eaten a bar of soap (not that he's done that before in his life of course) because Jerry had as always outwitted him and sloshed it around inside his mouth. The bitterness is overpowering, so much more than he's used to or than he'd like, really.

So that's what was a bit off about Suga's coffee. Did he get the wrong mug of coffee? The young man who had given him his coffee wasn't Suga, surely, so that is quite a possibility. But the beverage, despite its overpowering bitterness, is obviously mocha.

"Is there something wrong with my coffee, sir?" Hinata looks up and sees the very same guy from yesterday who had seen the whole foam moustache fiasco. So that's why the retreating back earlier had felt familiar. The guy--Tobi? Tobo? Tobio. Tobio is glaring at him with his hands on his hips, an eyebrow raised and lips contorted into a seemingly permanent frown.

"It's you!" Hinata exclaims loudly, pointing a finger at the taller boy, his eyes growing wide at the realisation and cheeks growing hot. Hinata can see Suga stealing worried glances at the pair from the corner of his eyes but at the moment he can't really bring himself to care. The memories, though brief, from yesterday come rushing back and Hinata just wants to melt right into his seat because god what happened yesterday was lame. It isn't that he doesn't already embarrass himself on a daily basis through other means--no one, no one at all speaks of the banana peel incident--, no. But yesterday was a feat even someone of his high calibre in the embarrassing-oneself-constantly department in theory should, in fact, not have been able to achieve. Forget the fact that he couldn't decipher what was, now that he thinks about it, obvious gestures. He probably looked pretty stupid just staring back dumbly at Tobio with the foam moustache. Foam moustaches are something he thought he'd experienced the last of when he was six years old. 

Six. As in bed-wetting age. It's nice to know he still has the antics of a six year old. Not.

He knows he might be overreacting a tiny bit, but the blunder was witnessed by a person he kind of thinks is maybe just a little bit attractive (albeit intimidating) which makes it all the more embarrassing and overreaction inducing. His whole face is probably a lovely shade of crimson by now and he opens his mouth again to say something but Tobio beats him to it.

"Well hello to you too, Mister Foam Moustache."

Hinata wonders what he's done to be gifted the acquaintance of two of the biggest dicks of the century, namely Tsukishima and the guy with the stupidly attractive face in front of him.

But he can't really reply because Tobio hasn't said anything particularly untrue or wrong and he's left gaping looking utterly stupid--again. But what's new?

"I..." Hinata manages then he closes his mouth, gesturing at the coffee mug on the table, "Bitter?"

He wanted to melt into his seat before--now he just wants the ground underneath him to disappear and swallow him up so he'll never be seen again. Now he can't even form coherent sentences. Lovely.

Tobio looks at him strangely, like he's trying to process and decipher just what Hinata's just said, and Hinata doesn't really blame him. Then his frown deepens and he stares at Hinata like he just said one plus one is eleven.

"But it’s coffee? And coffee is meant to be, you know, bitter?"

Touché. 

Hinata doesn't trust himself to make any more sounds what with his fantastic winning streak since yesterday, so he just stands with his mouth half open looking like he’s about to say something even though he isn’t.

Suga thankfully comes in at the right time, the angel. "Hey guys, what are you two doing?" he says, and thank God for him because in times of strife nothing is better than backup. Or a Suga. A Suga is always good.

"Just an unsatisfied customer," Kageyama replies gruffly.

Suga takes one look at Hinata then Tobio and then back at Hinata and makes an O shape with his mouth. "Oh, Kageyama did you make Hinata's coffee?" He nods and Suga makes a sound of acknowledgement. "That's probably why. I'm sorry, it was my fault. I forgot to tell you to leave that order to me, Kageyama. Hinata's a bit of a special case--he likes his coffee sweeter than it is bitter.   
Tobio raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Anyway I'm sorry but could you please go man the cashier for me? I left it alone and Daichi isn't going to be coming until later.” 

Tobio looks curiously between Hinata and Suga and then shrugs. "Alright. See you around, Mister Foam Moustache."

Hinata releases a breath he didn't know he was holding and slumps back into his chair once Tobio's back is far enough away to be out of earshot. Suga gives him an apologetic smile. "Want me to make another one for you? On me today, you kind of look like shit."

If that last comment had come from anyone else Hinata would have been offended but it's Suga and anything he says sounds like Jesus so he takes his word for it.

"Oh Lord, yes please.”

\----

“Well you dun goofed,” comments Yamaguchi with a playful lilt to his voice as he picks at his caramel slice with a fork. Tsukishima, on the other hand, is staying true to is character, much to Hinata’s dismay and looks like he’s about to pop a vein trying to stop himself from laughing. Asshole.

Hinata glares at him, doesn’t even say a word because Tsukishima already knows what he was going to say anyway.

“Your misery is my joy, baby boy,” he says, familiar smug smirk plastered on to his face. 

Yamaguchi spares him some mercy and tries to alleviate the amount of internal and external screaming happening with Hinata right now. “Well look at the bright side, you got free coffee from Suga, right? Look, how about you both come with me to the library after this to help me work on my paper.”

“Wait what even does that have to do with my problem, Yamyams?” Hinata asks from across the table bemusedly. 

Yamaguchi shrugs. “Well maybe it’ll get your mind off your, should I say, blunder?” 

Now, Hinata isn’t an idiot, just a little bit slow, so he knows Yamaguchi actually just really wants help with his paper. He’s even got his subtle game face on. This isn’t the first time he’s asked for help with his assignments. Still, it isn’t such a bad idea, he thinks, it might actually shake annoying slanted eyes and silky black hair off of his mind.


End file.
